


The Ending's The Saddest Part

by Snop



Series: Love Will Find A Way [2]
Category: Basketball RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 10:37:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13233921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snop/pseuds/Snop
Summary: It's New Years Eve and Andrew Wiggins is in a room full of people. He is completely alone.





	The Ending's The Saddest Part

“I,” proclaimed Karl-Anthony Towns, “am going to win five championships, just like Kobe.” He stumbled over his own very large feet and would have fallen if Andrew Wiggins hadn’t grabbed his arm and pulled him back to his feet.  


“Okay buddy, I’m sure you will win some championships. Lots of ‘em,” Andrew said loudly, gently directing his friend to a chair. “Maybe. If you’re sober,” he added quietly. Karl sprawled unconcernedly in the folding chair, smiling at each person who passed. Andrew dropped into the seat beside him and checked his phone. It was 11:47. He tried to summon some enthusiasm, after all, it was New Years Eve and he was at one of the most exclusive parties in New York. Anyone who was anyone in the NBA was here, dancing, drinking, and laughing. He had spent the evening among his friends, his fellow players, and their families, many of whom had expressed to him just how excited they were to watch the Timberwolves blossom.  


That was another thing he should be excited about. He had spent his life dreaming about playing on a team like this, where they were winning games and a serious playoff contender, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to feel anything. People were starting to notice, too. He had always been a relatively laidback person, but when those who knew him well had started to ask if he was okay when he couldn’t even bring himself to smile after a win. In fact, if Karl wasn’t so drunk at the moment, he would probably be asking him that very question right now. Andrew always responded that he was just down because he was playing badly, which was pretty plausible considering the way he was bricking shots at the moment. It wasn’t the real reason, though. Ever since Ricky had been traded, Andrew had felt lost. It sounded stupid, even in his head, but it was true. Without Ricky, the world just seemed to have lost its color. At this point, he wished with every fiber of his being that he could just forget what they’d had, but everywhere he went, he saw something that reminded him of the Spaniard.  


Karl put his enormous hand on Andrew’s shoulder, jerking him from his thoughts. “I,” he said, in the same, declarative voice that he had used to announce his championship intentions. “Am going to dance.” He stood up, pushing down hard enough on Andrew’s shoulder to make him wince. Karl swayed on the spot, looking slightly confused. Then he nodded to himself, as though suddenly remembering his mission, and stepped determinedly towards the dance floor.  
Andrew groaned and followed his friend. He didn’t feel much like dancing, but he knew as a friend it was his job to make sure Karl didn’t make a complete fool of himself. Karl made his way into the crowd of people, not bothering to apologize as he stepped on various people’s feet as he walked. Andrew followed in his wake, muttering “sorry,” and “excuse us,” as he went. All around them, people were finishing dancing and beginning to group together, talking excitedly. Andrew glanced up at the huge, glowing clock on the wall in front of the dance floor. It read 11:55. He looked back down, and realized he had lost Karl in the crowd.  


“Andrew!”  


Andrew spun around at the sound of his name. Karl was waving at him excitedly, somehow having ended up behind him.  


“Andrew! Look who I found!” Karl exclaimed, reaching into the crowd beside him and pulling Ricky seemingly from thin air.  


Andrew felt his breath catch. Ricky looked different from his Minnesota days. He had grown out his hair and beard, and he had undeniably gained a lot of muscle. But he was still Ricky, still had the same dark eyes that made Andrew’s stomach turn over, and the same smile that was so dangerously contagious. Ricky flashed Andrew one of those smiles now, looking very confused and a bit wary.  


“It’s Ricky! Ricky who was on our team! He’s here!” Karl yelled, shoving Ricky towards Andrew.  


“Yeah, he is.” Andrew said softly, meeting Ricky’s eyes and looking away quickly. Karl gave them both a wide grin, then turned and disappeared into the crowd, most likely to find another long lost teammate.  


“Well,” said Ricky, running his hand through his hair nervously. “This is awkward.”  


“Yeah,” Andrew replied, biting his lip. “Karl sure has a knack for social interactions, especially when he’s drunk.” Their eyes met again, and they both laughed. For a second, the months and miles between them disappeared, and it was just Andrew and Ricky again. It was just them, laughing and in love. And then the moment was gone and although they stood close to hear each other over the noise of the party, they both knew it was just an illusion. There was a boundary between them, a boundary of thousands of miles and time and what would never be.  


“How have you been?” Ricky asked.  


Andrew thought about telling him how he was doing okay, how he was excited about his team but disappointed about his own lack of success. He thought about telling him about the new trick he’d taught his dog, or the funny thing his sister told him last week. But he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t pretend. Not with Ricky.  


“I miss you,” he said, and he instantly regretted it. He had touched the boundary and it burned white hot, bringing back feelings he had tried so hard to forget.  


“I miss you, too,” Ricky replied quickly, too quickly, and they both felt the burn again, that searing pain of knowing that you’re loved.  


All around them, they heard people begin to count down as the new year rolled in. The sound didn’t really register with them, though, as they stood there staring at each other. They were close, so close, and as the clock flashed 12:00, Andrew’s hands found their way to Ricky’s waist. The people around them were cheering and clapping, and confetti fell like snow onto their heads and shoulders.  


“We can’t…” Ricky whispered, his eyes already sliding down towards Andrew’s lips.  


“Of course not.” Andrew replied as he pulled Ricky closer to him. Ricky reached up and wrapped his arms around Andrew’s neck, and kissed him.  


The boundary had broken, and the miles between them were gone. They were back at Ricky’s house in Minnesota, or in the locker room after everyone had left, or in Andrew’s beat-up black car. Their bodies were relaxing, losing the tension that had gripped them since July and the world around them was going out of focus. All that mattered was Andrew’s strong arms pulling Ricky closer to him, how warm Andrew’s body felt pressed against Ricky’s, and the way Ricky’s dark eyes were half-lidded with desire.  


They pulled back for a second to catch their breath, and their eyes met. Smiling, Andrew gently brushed Ricky’s hair out of his face.  


“We shouldn’t have done that,” He said, trying to sound serious, but unable to keep his face straight.  


“No,” said Ricky, biting his lip. “We shouldn’t. But we did…” he trailed off, looking up at Andrew expectantly.  


“I mean, the damage is done now. There’s really no point in trying to stay away from each other, at least for tonight.” Andrew looked at Ricky, hoping he had said the right thing, hoping that he hadn’t misread the situation.  


Ricky licked his lips and smiled. “My hotel is a few blocks away. We should be able to walk there.” Andrew nodded quickly and took Ricky’s hand in his. He lead Ricky to the door, knowing without a doubt that he would regret this in the morning when he had to say goodbye. But just then, with Ricky’s warm, familiar hand in his own, tomorrow felt very far away.


End file.
